


Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

by ODeorainFan2150



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Lots of characters are just mentions, Lots of people being hired by Talon, M/M, Mainly for them dying/being captured, Talon!Emily, backstory time, the enemy of my enemy is my friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-07-10 07:52:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15944993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ODeorainFan2150/pseuds/ODeorainFan2150
Summary: A devastating attack on the new Overwatch forces Tracer to work with the last people in the world she would expect to. But how far is she willing to go?A Talon!LotsOfPeople AUWRAPPED UP EARLIER THAN PLANNED - A BETTER VERSION COMING





	1. Desperate Times

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go - time for a new attempt at long-form writing. This time asking the age-old question
> 
> "What would cause *insert Overwatch member here* to go work for Talon"

The dropship interior was dark, the only light coming from the cockpit and echoed with a pair of alternating beeps. The sources were two portable bio-pods, crudely bolted to the deck. Genji keeping an eye on the system; Tracer couldn’t help but notice his usually pristine armour was damaged and marked. One leg moved less smoothly than the other, occasionally being dragged along the deck. The other figure still up and moving around was McCree. He was pacing back on forth on the cargo ramp, rubbing his hand through his beard as he was lost in thought. His upper arm was shrouded in bandages.

Inside the pods lay the unconscious forms of Mercy and Pharah. Mercy’s had been one of the first to rush towards the fighting, still in her armour from the morning training session. However, she’d barely had a chance to help when one of the attackers had hit her with an EMP blast. For a moment, it seemed like nothing had happened (other than her staff being disabled). But then she had keeled over, screaming in agony as old wounds reopened themselves. Her nanobots had only been disabled for a moment but the damage they had inflicted was paralysing. Winston had helped to rescue her before handing over to Tracer as he dove back into the fight. She’d managed to get the bio-pod up and Genji had set it to at least hold the worst effects at bay, but she knew it wouldn’t last.

More concerning was Pharah. When the attack had started, the seals on her suit had clamped shut and many of her systems had been taken offline remotely. For a while, she’d been trapped, safe from harm but unable to fight, screaming insults and challenges over the radio. Then she’d been hit by something armoured piercing and she fell silent. Genji had tried his best to patch the hole once they were on the ship but the bio-pod was working flat out to prevent the bleed. She was still in most of her armour, limiting the healing device's effectiveness.

Everyone else at Overwatch was either dead or captured. Everyone she had spent the last few years living with, working with or fighting alongside. She remembered seeing Zenyatta and Bastion trying to hold off the attackers near one of the hangar bays before an explosion had seemed to rip them both apart. When she’d started rushing to the dropship, she’d passed Reinhardt cradling Ana’s broken form in his giant arms while Brigitte shielded them from fire, her force field glowing bright orange as it worked overtime to handle the incoming fire. Jesse had dragged Pharah’s rigid body on board and then returned to the fray hammering away shot after shot until he was sent sprawling. He’d have been left behind if Genji hadn’t sprinted out to retrieve him. But who else had made it out?

Tracer pushed these thoughts to the back of her head. She had to continue flying. She had a precious cargo to take care of.

McCree joined her in the cockpit. “We need somewhere to lay low for a while, get some medical help and find out what’s happened. I’ve got a few places in the States down near Florida, out in the sticks where no one would notice a lander turning up”

Genji looked up from his work and responded curtly “Unfortunately there is little chance we’d make it to the US. Neither of them has that long even with the bio-pods. It’s going to have to be somewhere within a couple of hours and with a trained doctor with knowledge of nanobots.” He glanced at Pharah’s pod. “And maybe a garage”

Before she answered, Lena paused. “I might have someone who can help us. Think she has a base this side of the pond although I just hope she doesn’t block unknown numbers. “ With that, she pulled out her notebook and entered a number into the craft’s communication system.

\--

Moira had been concentrating on her latest piece of work, comparing two genetic samples by eye when her communicator started ringing. The tone caused her to pause, denoting it as coming in on the Emily line. However, it wasn’t Emily’s shining face that grinned back. Instead, it was a video feed of Tracer, obviously flying some sort of dropship. She seemed slightly stressed.

Without touching the screen, Moira answered the call “Ah Lena, how lovely it is to speak to you again. Although I’m not sure how you got this number, Emily isn’t supposed to just give it to every….”

“Sorry to interrupt you Doc but we need your help. It’s kind of serious”

Before Moira could utter a retort, make some mocking comment about saving the ‘heroes’ of Overwatch, Lena continued. As she relayed the news, the smirk on the doctor’s face started to drop. When Angela’s state was mentioned, Moira could do nothing else except close her eyes.

“... We need somewhere to land that can provide medical attention, some urgent technical support to unlock Pharah’s armour and somewhere to stay and regroup”

Moira thought about her current location. This old Overwatch outpost on the Irish coast had been a training centre, and so it was equipped with a full medical bay and accommodations. One of her associates, hiding out after her previous mission brought some heat, would probably relish the chance to get her hands on Helix technology and take on the challenge of unlocking it. It was also far enough out of the way that no one inside Talon would ask why a group of Overwatch agents were staying there. The skeleton staff on call were all part of her faction, unlikely to spread rumours to other bases. She’d made sure of that.

Eventually, she answered “I’m sending you some coordinates and a transponder code, get here quickly before the rain properly comes in” and with that she closed the connection. A few taps and the information was sent. Moira ran a hand through her ginger hair. She’d have to play this situation very carefully. This might just be the opportunity she and Angela had been waiting for. She glanced at the bottom drawer of her desk, thinking of the plans that lay within.

But before all that, she’d have to keep them alive. She rang a different number on her communicator.

“Sombra, you’re going to be needed up in medical in a few hours. Looks like your time here will not be spent entirely idle.”

\--

After the connection closed, Tracer was relieved to see the required information appear. She punched in the location data, the dropship starting to bank as it changed its course.

When she turned around, Jesse was staring at her, his face aghast.

“Did you say Doc?” He checked the location “And Ireland? Oh no, Lena, don’t tell me this is who I think it is. Don’t tell me you’ve made a deal with her”

As Genji joined them, McCree turned to him “She’s taking us to go see the ginger witch. She’s taking us right into Talon’s hands. It’s going to be a big ol’ Blackwatch reunion party with Moira O’Deorain serving the damn poison cake she’s so good at making.”

Now he swung back, staring at Tracer again “How do you even have a way of contacting her? Why do you have that number!” He was starting to panic, the cocky tone disappearing from his voice. “And even if she can help, she isn’t going to help us for free. She’ll want something, something we shouldn’t want to give her. We can’t do this, it’s madness!”

Tracer was about to open her mouth, about to defend the choice she’d made when Genji moved first. With a single tap to the back of the head, he knocked McCree to the deck, stopping him babbling about how much of a mistake this was. He went out like a light.

Lena could barely believe what she was seeing. Open-mouthed, she watched as Genji restrained McCree in his seat before placing his hat over his face. Returning to the flight deck, he sat down heavily in his chair before reaching up to remove the faceplate from his armour. His face was scarred but it also seemed gaunt, the twinkle in his eyes gone. This was a very different person to the one Tracer had spared with this morning.

“As much as I do not enjoy the opportunity to re-engage with Moira again after all these years, and as much as I dislike Talon, I do see your reasoning for going to her. She has the skill and resources to help us. Especially with how injured Angela is” He swivelled to face her “But McCree was right - she will not do this for free or out of the goodness of her heart. If she is anything like the creature I worked with in Blackwatch, I expect she will find a way to get you to help her. ”

The two sat in silence for a while, thinking about what the future held for them.

Genji was the first to break the silence. “It’s going to be a long flight, too long to simply sit here in silence. Why not explain to me why an agent of Overwatch has a direct line to one of the Talon’s Inner Circle hidden in her pocket”

\--

They did not manage to beat the rain. It was only drizzling but it made finding the landing spot harder than it should have done. It took all of Tracer’s skill to get the dropship inside the cave, especially as the waves throwing up spray in front of the cave entrance seemed perfectly timed to toss her off course. However, once she got past them, she found herself on familiar ground. It’s obvious this base was a former Overwatch location - the layout was exactly the same the second hanger at Gibraltar. Ground crew were pointing her to a landing pad and followed their instructions.

Before the rear ramp had completely opened, Moira was already on board. She strode up the ramp in full armour, her backpack radiating a sick purple glow, her orbs of light playing around her hands. Behind her, Talon soldiers swarmed the bay, running bug sweepers and electrical spotters over the ship interior. When they found anything, they’d quickly move to isolate it. Other troopers moved up to Tracer and Genji, pulling out plasticuffs and threading them over the Overwatch agents hand. For a moment, Tracer thought her companion was going to attempt to fight but with some reluctance he allowed himself to be cuffed. Two other soldiers dragged the unconscious McCree off the ship.

When she reached the bipods, Moira extinguished the lights. In an instant, she changed from soldier to medic. She inspected Pharah first, noticing the fact her armour was still in place and the gaping hole in her chest. A few words and the pod was being wheeled out. Tracer spotted someone in purple rushing after it, moving her fingers in a hypnotic display as the hacker began her work.

It was when she turned to Mercy that Tracer saw Moira’s mask of professionalism slip. Just for a moment, Moira seemed in pain, anguished about seeing Angela like this. However, it was just a moment. With a series of rapid-fire orders, the second pod was wheeled away.

Now Moira turned to her two new guests. “Welcome to Watchpoint Arraglen. This is not a major Talon base, the rest of the organisation will not know about your presence until I decide it’s pertinent.”

She placed a hand on Genji’s shoulder “I’m sorry to hear about your loss Mr Shimada. I know how much Zenyatta meant to you." There was a pause. "Although I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your medical touch. Both bio-pods were set up perfectly.”

Genji simply inclined his head as a gesture of understanding “I wondered if I could request a quiet space for a while. I need to gather my thoughts.”

Moira nodded and removed the cuffs from his wrists “As long as you don’t try to leave, any of the open areas of the base are free for you to use. The training room upstairs is usually quiet at this time.” Genji started to leave, but Moira held him in place. “I presume our favourite cowboy is currently tied up due to his disagreement with your planned actions?” He nodded “We’ll put him in the brig for now until he cools off. It was not an… unexpected reaction”

Letting the ninja leave, Moira turned to the waiting Tracer. She’d sat down on one of the chairs but quickly stood up as the doctor stepped closer. Moira’s face was still serious, but a little bit of the predatory smile had returned to it.

“Now, Miss Oxton, let’s go and have a talk about your situation. There is much to discuss”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an idea I've had bouncing around my head for a while, especially after reading some other Talon!Au's. Chapter 2 is mostly written so expect an update relatively soon.


	2. Taking Stock

 

A clock was ticking. To her brain, it seemed like every second was a dull thud. Lena was beginning to realise how much time had passed since she’d woken up back in Gibraltar, how long it had been since she had stopped for a moment to take in all that had happened. The clock didn’t care it just kept ticking.

 

It took her a while to realise Moira was speaking to her. After disembarking, Moira and a small group of Talon personal had uncuffed her and proceeded to lead her through the base to the infirmary. While a nurse did the usual checks (Lena blinking furiously when a bright light was shone in her eyes), she noticed that Moira had gone into one of the adjoining rooms. Through the window in the door, she could see Angela lying unconscious. They had moved her from the bio-pod to an actual bed, tubing and wires connecting her to various machines. While Lena watched, Moira checked all of them. Every element was inspected, just to make sure it was functioning exactly as intended. Lena had felt herself starting to doze off when Moira returned to the room. She stood in the door and gestured her to follow.

 

“The nurse has patched your wounds. Come, let's go find somewhere more comfortable”

 

Moira led her through several corridors, past the hangar bay before reaching a lift. The doctor boarded it first, waiting for Lena to join her, before pressing a nondescript button to shut the doors. The lift started climbing up towards the roof of the cavern, passing several other floors containing what appeared to be workshops before coming to a halt in front of a comfortable looking office. With a hiss, the glass door opened onto it.

 

The room was dominated by a window running the length of the wall, giving a perfect view out over the stormy Irish coast. Rain quietly pattered against it before leaving grey trails down it as the droplets fell. The rest of the room was functional, multiple seats and a table for meeting while the sidewall filled by a long desk. A few items decorated the space, personal touches to a professional environment. Most striking was a finely detailed china rabbit that sat pride of place on the desk, it’s pale sides covered in fine gold and green patterns that seemed to dance in the light.

 

A moment after they entered, Moira sniffed the air, stiffened and then spoke “You can stop hiding Sombra, I know you’re here. I can smell that vile cola you’re drinking”

 

After a second a figure seemed to rematerialise in one of the chairs, lounging across it with the ease of someone used to appearing where she was not expected. Sombra was still wearing her purple and black costume, hair swept to one side revealing her implants shining in her skull. In her hand was the offending soft drink, it’s can a neon pink. A wire screen comprised of hard light floated behind her, streams of numbers and words pouring down it.

 

“Sorry  _ Bruja _ , I was going to try and see what juicy gossip you’d be chatting about with Tracer here”

 

Moira was not amused “Enough of the jokes Sombra, tell me what you’ve learned about the attack on Gibraltar. And give Miss Oxton the other can that I know you have - she probably hasn’t had much in the way of sustenance all day.”

 

Sombra grimaced and then tossed an unopened can of cola at Tracer. Lena hadn’t thought about food all day but she was starting to feel it. She cracked the can open and took a deep drink, acting liked she hadn’t had water for weeks. The caffeine hit burst behind her eyes after the first drink, bringing her brain back into focus.

 

“Thanks to some of my pre-placed hacks, I’ve found evidence that the attack came from Vishkar, although Helix provided most of the heavy hitters. Someone had been leaking intel on you for a while,  _ love _ , hence why they knew to EMP Dr Ziegler and run a lojack on the flying blue mechaqueen I’m trying to coax out of her shell.” She looked up “Luckily for us, the shot to her chest destroyed the tracker. So at least you didn’t lead them here.”

 

Tracer spoke, her voice quiet and far away, “Have… have they listed everyone they took?”

 

Sombra shook her head “Still trying to get that information. They have reported several people killed. Vishkar’s records has our old friend Sanjay contacting the Shambali to report Zenyatta’s passing. Meanwhile, someone inside Helix just tried to claim the bounty currently on Shrike and Soldier 76, both listed as dead” Sombra paused “I’ll keep looking and tell you if anything changes”

 

Tracer held a hand to her mouth, tears silently starting to roll down her cheek. She felt sick to her stomach. Zen, Ana AND Morrison all in one day? Just gone in a flash. She tried to think back, count through all of those she’d seen. Who else had gone without her noticing? Angela and Pharah were downstairs, their lives seeming to hang in the balance. How many had been injured and were now hovering between life and death in unfriendly hands?

 

Sombra continued, not looking up from her screen “I’m also hearing that Zarya and D.Va are on lockdown in their home countries pending investigations. Also, Orisa has been recalled back to Nambani. Seems like someone who knew you well took the entire network apart.”

 

Moira noticed Lena’s discomfort and spoke sternly. “That will be all Sombra, thank you. I need to talk to Miss Oxton alone.”

 

Sombra moved as if to say something and then simply nodded. As she passed Tracer, she gently placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed before leaving the room. The lift carried her out of view.

 

Moira waited until she was gone and the glass door closed before crossing the space to stand in front of Lena. Bending down, she offered a tissue which Tracer gladly took. Resting her left hand on Tracer’s shoulder she spoke in a low voice, every word chosen carefully.

 

“I know what you’re feeling,  _ páiste _ . I wish I didn’t but I know how it hurts, to have everything you have ever cared about torn away from you in a single blow. The emptiness you feel in the pit of your stomach will not be something you solve overnight. All I can tell you is this: there will be a time to mourn the fallen and the lost but it is not that time yet. There is still a fight to be won and you are needed in that fight. Now dry your eyes, take a deep breath and let's begin. ”

 

Tracer, wiping her eyes, nodded.

 

Satisfied for the moment, Moira stood up and walked over to the window, pausing for a moment as the rain cleared to reveal the calming sea. With a few taps, the large table’s surface shimmered and became a huge screen.  A few more taps and several diagrams appeared on it

 

“Anyone who has the strength to take out Overwatch in its entirety in a single strike is going to be a threat to Talon. Even if someone inside the Inner Circle was responsible, it is unlikely they are not going to think about using it on another member who opposes them. Everything we have managed to build, it’s too much to risk over negligence. Overwatch’s fall is going to be a wakeup call for every other covert organisation that thinks the shadows will protect them”

 

She turned to face Lena, who was listening while still staring at the carpet.

 

“Come, take a look at this”

 

Lena crossed the room to join Moira at the table. The plans were mostly sketches but the software had started to assemble them into basic 3D holograms. She was amazed to find herself looking back at a tiny version of herself. However, there were changes to her regular outfit. Her suit was a different colour, blacks and dark reds, her chest piece slightly larger with several additional elements whose functions were unknown. Gauntlets covered her hands, gun barrels set into them both while a glowing blade was emitted underneath. Long lists of other alterations surrounded her, everything from uniform tweaks to genetic modifications and nanobot colonies. It took her a while to fully understand what she was seeing. 

 

“This is… an upgrade plan? Using me?”

 

Moira smiled, a darkness still lingering behind her eyes. “It was initially a thought experiment while I was at Overwatch. Taking our current agents and working out how best to enhance them if the gloves came off and we were unshackled from the constraints we had been forced to work under. My partner and I, we wrote our first ideas down on paper, sketches of armour and lists of potential enhancements. But as the years went by, and we got separated, we still continued our work, thinking of them as potential testbeds for new ideas and combinations of technology“ Her face hardened. “Neither of us would have ever thought that one day we might even think about using them.

 

Lena continued to stare, the strangeness of seeing a version of herself in Talon red still disturbing. But then she noticed the authors were listed underneath each of the suggestions.

 

“Hold up a minute, why do these have Angela’s name on them?”

 

Moira seemed to freeze for a moment, still looking away from Lena. When she eventually turned to face her, her expression was far different than the one Lena was used to. All sense of malice had appeared to have left her, replaced with sheer sadness. She slumped lightly backwards to rest on the table, seeming to shrink, her terrifying presence replaced with one full of sorrow.

 

“Because Angela IS my partner on them. They were an excuse to still talk even if we were on opposite side of the line or on the other side of the world. I guess somewhere in Gibraltar there was a similar data cache, the designs picked out in blue and white for a hopeful future. What a shame they’ll never be seen. ” 

 

Moira paused, a breath caught in her throat. Her next line was tinged with the start of a sob.

 

“She’s my partner in everything”

 

Her hands shaking slightly, Moira reached inside her armour and pulled out a necklace. A golden ring glinted in the light, it’s inscription highlighted on the inside by the glow. Lena suddenly remembered where she had seen a matching ring before. 

 

They had finished morning training session and had been changing out of their armour. Angela was usually so private when she was getting dressed back into her uniform but today she had paused as she changed, her focus on her new ring. Threading it over her finger, she watched it catch the sunlight, the wide smile she saved for when she was genuinely happy covering her face. But before Lena could say anything to her, or ask where she had got it from, the band was back on her necklace and she had returned to work.

 

The realisation came crashing together in Tracer’s brain, like the waves hitting the shore outside. Other events from the past soon started linking themselves together until Lena had to speak.

 

“Oh, Moira. I didn’t know...”

 

Moira was deadpan “That was the plan. We’d be together but apart until we could work out a situation where we could achieve our goals. Then we’d leave and disappear, retiring to a house somewhere secret to carry on our work together. It would be a blessed reward for a wretched sinner such as I”

 

She chuckled “I guess I should thank the attackers of Overwatch. They got rid of one of the barriers we would have needed to cross. But not at this cost. Not taking Ana and Jack. Not by trying to take Angela from me.”

 

Lena wasn’t sure what to do. Part of her wanted to rush to her, to comfort the taller woman. But the other half still couldn’t shake off who the form across from her was. This was Moira, Doctor O’Deorain, the former member of Blackwatch and now a leader within Talon. She had never seen her like this. Normally so calm and in control, this was her absolutely wrecked to the core. For a moment, the pair were quiet, the only sound coming from the waves outside.

 

Moira straightened up, composing herself “There is a reckoning coming, Miss Oxton. I’m going to need every piece I can get on the board and ready to be used. I know you to be capable, intelligent and devoted to your cause. I want to bring you into Talon and offer you a chance to help stop the people who have caused this pain and to try and claw back the ones you care about. But to turn you into what you will need to become, it’s going to extract a toll.”

 

Before Lena could answer, Moira raised a hand. “Now is not the time for rash decisions. You’ve had a long day, it would be better if you rested before deciding. You will want to talk to Dr Zeigler once she wakes up - she designed most of the upgrades and will be able to tell you more about them than me”

 

Moira had now returned to her old self, the brief window through her armour now repaired, her voice now calm and focused. “There should be a room arranged for you, as well as a change of clothes. Get some sleep Lena, we’ll talk more tomorrow.”

 

Lena turned to leave but then she paused and faced Moira, her face suddenly struck with fear “What about Emily! If they know about Overwatch, then they will know about her. We have to warn her!”

 

Moira had barely opened her mouth when the lift arrived, it’s door quietly sliding open. Both of the room’s occupants turned to see who had joined them. The figure who entered was clad all in black from head to toe, red accents offset against the dark base colour. Its face seemed strangely blank beneath the hood, almost flat without any sign of a nose or mouth.  Armoured sections on their legs and arms crackled lightly with energy, a faint glow around the torso slowly extinguishing. The apparition swung a kit bag off their shoulder and placed it onto the floor. Slowly, the new arrival removed their hood and face mask. Long flowing red hair appeared while the descending mask revealed a face Tracer was all too familiar with. Soft brown eyes appeared out of the darkness, a touch of freckles scattered across the nose.

 

Lena was stunned. The last time she had seen this face was when she’d stepped out of the flat heading for Gibraltar, wishing her a safe trip. For a moment, words seemed to fail her. “How… When…   why are you dressed like that?”

 

“Sorry Lena,” Emily said, a regretful tone to her voice. “There may be a few things we need to talk about”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Emily's not just a pretty face in this one.


	3. Story Telling

Emily

 

Lena couldn’t believe it but here she was, safe and sound in a secret Talon base. Her girlfriend, always there for her when she got back from missions normally curled up on the sofa. She thought of her as someone purely made of warmth, her shiny red hair and brown eyes, always bright. But the person in front of her was different, colder in some way. The armoured suit didn’t help, especially with a Talon emblem on her shoulder. It seemed wrong like she was wearing a costume for a fancy dress party. But her expression told Lena that this was all too real.

 

Moira coughed before Emily could speak.

 

“Miss Oxton, I recommend you go and get some rest. I need to talk to my niece while her memories are still fresh. One of the guards will show you your accommodation.” Moira instructed.  “We’ll speak more tomorrow”

 

Lena nodded, she’d been steadily feeling more and more tired as the events of the day started getting to her. As she headed for the door, Emily grabbed her arm

 

“I’ll find you later, I need to explain… everything”

 

Lena waved her off. “Yeah, yeah, talk later luv” she threw back as she was guided out the room by one of the Talon soldiers.

 

\---

Sleep had not come easily to Lena. She’d laid awake for what felt like hours, staring up at the roof in the darkness. Her brain was churning, working through the revelations and events of the day. The events at Gibraltar seemed like a storm in the distance while her head focused on smaller details. Emily worked for Talon? Moira and Angela were married? And they had designed her a new suit? The image of her in Talon red came to the forefront, a cruel smile across her doppelganger's face, and she suddenly awoke with a start.

 

In the darkness, a panel next to her head chimed. Emitting a small amount of light. Lena groggily looked over and came face to face with Emily. It was an employee ID photo, obviously taken when she was much younger. Her hair was much shorter but the eyes remained the same, warm and welcoming. Underneath her portrait were two button - one to open the door and one to keep it locked.

 

For a moment Lena paused, her hand hovering over the access button. Maybe this was someone pretending to be Emily, an infiltrator wearing her face. Or maybe this was Emily’s mission all along - wait for her to be vulnerable and then remove her from the game. Moving one of her pistols to the table next to her, Lena turned on the lights and unlocked the door.

 

With a click, the door swung open and Emily entered. She had changed out of her armour, keeping only the body glove worn as an underlayer. It peeked through the gap between her civilian clothing, a black band between her jeans and a shabby grey hoodie marked “UCL” across the front.  She swung a kit bag off her shoulder, a large RAF logo stitched into the side and placed it on the table.

 

“I grabbed some of your clothes from the flat, as well as a few things like your notebooks and music player. Not sure how long we'll be away so thought you would need them.”

 

“Thanks,” Lena responded, noncommittally. She didn’t move from the bed.

 

Hearing the difference in tone from her girlfriend’s usually cheerful demeanour, Emily’s eyes flicked around the room, eventually resting on the pistol on the bedside table.

 

Her shoulders drooped slightly, “I suppose it’s fair, I’ve got a lot of explaining to do”

 

“That’s putting it mildly luv. So were we actually going out for real or was I just an assignment for you”

 

Emily pulled a char out and sat on it facing her girlfriend. “Lena, you were never my assignment. Some questions were raised when people other than my Aunt worked out who I was actually dating but I was never told to spy on you and I never passed on any information you may have told me.”

 

“So us meeting? All a fluke? Luck of the draw?”

 

“Aside from going to the same coffee shop for about a month, yes”

 

“How do I know you’re not someone pretending to be my girlfriend? I saw the tech your suit has, shouldn’t be too hard to turn that mask into someone else”

 

Emily laughed “Well, you want to come over here and do the old Mission Impossible test or should I just remind you about how I came into the kitchen to find you with my walking socks in your mouth after you stubbed your toe? I thought it was rather sweet that you did it to avoid waking me up but you could have taken them out of your mouth before you started cooking breakfast”

 

Lena paused and breathed a sigh of relief - she had done that just a few days ago, her tired brain not running at 100% after a week on mission. Feeling the tone of the room shifting, Emily crossed to the bed and sat down. Lena leaned in so Emily wrapped her arms around her, pulling her in tight.

 

“This isn’t the way I wanted you to find out. I’ve wanted to tell you since we met, especially after I found out you were working for Overwatch again. It’s been a torment. But that’s been nothing compared to today. I’m so sorry for everything.”

 

Lena could feel herself starting to sob. Relief and grief and anger swept through her in waves. Emily pulled her in closer, gently shushing her as they clung together.

 

After a while, Emily let go of her and reached over to grab a box of tissues from under the bed. While Lena dried her eyes, Emily spoke,

 

“I’m guessing right now you’re feeling pretty powerless? I’ve got an idea, something that should give you a bit more control as to what’s going on. Ask me anything. Anything about Talon or me or my Aunt or anything.”

 

Lena rubbed her eyes and then asked the question that had been bouncing around her brain since they had been reunited in the office.

 

“Okay then, what do you actually do? Other than pretending to be an architect”

 

Emily smiled, a return to the girl Lena had known.

 

“Who says I’m not an architect?”, a wry eyebrow raised on her face.

 

“The black armour and habit of turning up in secret bases might have given it away, luv. Unless I misunderstood the job when you described it”

 

This prompted a snort of laughter from Emily, bringing a smile to Lena’s face for the first time since they had been reunited.

 

“I actually did train as an architect but then my Aunt offered me a job. Something a little more interesting than just planning mansions for millionaires. A chance to see the world and occasionally do exciting things. And all while wearing fashionable outfits - you should see them. The Badb suit you saw is just a taste of what I get to play around with”

 

“So what are you? Some sort of assassin or spy?”

 

“I’m Dr O’Deorain’s personal agent, someone she can trust to do what she asks without interference from other factions with Talon. She usually prefers to stay out of the field so I end up doing lots of things. Sometimes it’s just analysing intelligence and passing her reports from the office in London but sometimes it’s sneaking into places and recovering things or removing obstacles.”

 

“You mean…”

 

“Yes, unfortunately. I don’t always take pleasure in the killing but it is sometimes needed.”

 

Lena thought about this for a moment before thinking about her next question.

 

“What is Widowmaker like. I mean, outside of missions”

 

“I don’t usually work with her, Reaper seems to be her main operating partner. But we do meet occasionally, normally around waiting around outside meetings. She seems fine if a little cold. Still has interests outside of the job - she spends a lot of time redoing her ancestral home. Lots of transactions to art collections to buy back pieces her family owned before she worked for Talon. I should also add, she finds your crush on her adorable.” Emily smiled down at Lena.

 

A touch of red came to Tracer’s cheeks as huddled under the covers “It’s not a crush, I just think she’s a very pretty lady.” Lena suddenly looked puzzled “Wait, adorable doesn’t sound like something an emotionless killer would say”

 

“I wondered that as well. I’m beginning to agree with my aunt that some of her conditioning is wearing off. However, she continues to be an asset so it’s unlikely anyone is going to force her back into that visor for conditioning”

 

Lena continued her questions. She asked about the Inner Circle, about some of her missions, even a few times they almost crossed paths in the field. Eventually, their talk turned towards Overwatch. “I guess you know about Angela”

 

“About her and my Aunt? Yes, I’ve known. It was almost comical for both of us to pretend we’d never met when you introduced us. I used to visit Overwatch when I younger, so I got to see them both swinging between bickering in public and cuddling up by the fire. I was also there for the wedding as the only guest - you’ll have to see the photo of them by the lake. I’ve never seen them so happy”

 

Emily suddenly looked concerned “I hope she recovers. Aunty M has a certain rather emotionless attitude about her but she really can be sensitive when pushed. It’s been bad enough with the forced separation and only occasional visits, I’m not sure what she’d do if something actually happened to her”

 

Lena yawned, causing Emily to smile gently and quip,

 

“I think someone’s had enough bedtime stories. I’ll leave you to get some rest. Need to be up early tomorrow to get some training in now I’m back on role.”

  
As she stood to leave, Lena’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist

 

“Stay, please? I don’t want you to go just yet”

 

Emily smiled and nodded, stripping off her hoodie and jeans before pulling herself out of her underlayer. She crawled in next to Lena, spooning the smaller Brit from behind and wrapping her in an embrace.

 

They lay there in the dark for a while before Lena spoke again. 

 

“I’m scared Em. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Everything seemed fine and now? Now I don’t know what to do”

 

Emily ran her fingers through Lena’s hair.

 

“It’s fine, that’s a problem for tomorrow.”

 

\--

 

It was getting close to midnight, but a solitary light was still visible from Moira’s office. After debriefing Emily, she had spent most of the day in the medical bay, primarily keeping an eye on Angela. She was still unconscious but the nanobots were now working at least. They should heal most of the damage but it still pained Moira to see injured. 

 

Pharah was much more serious. The shot to her abdomen had gone straight through the front of the suit and bounced around inside. Some serious work would be needed but it was all delayed by having to get her out of the armour. Last she had seen, Sombra was disabling the armoured pieces so they could be pulled apart. As Angela had drilled into her when in the field, every second wasted reduced the chance of the patient's survival.

 

Now she was sat at her desk, staring at her terminal screen while a small green communicator sat in her hand. It hadn’t been used for a long time but she knew it to still be working. It was a relic from her war service, the stamped serial number probably linking it some armoury somewhere.

 

Flicking open the battered old device, she waited for it to connect to the network before typing her first message.

 

**Md** > I presume you saw the news about O?

 

There was a brief delay but then the response came in

 

**Gr** > Saw it, already been on site to gather intelligence. They cleaned the place out and demolished it, professional crew. AG found some shell casings they missed so we can confirm attribution. Tracked a few of the shuttlecraft out over North Africa but lost signals over the Sahara. Can’t confirm any prisoners.

 

**Md** > Casualty lists according to S include JM and AA. 

 

**Md** > All handlers for operation have been removed from play. How are we planning to proceed?

 

**Gr** > …

 

**Md** > Looks like we’ll be undercover for quite a while then.

 

**Gr** > …

 

**Gr** > We knew that this could happen. Plan remains the same, except we’ll have to do it all ourselves.

 

A few moments passed, the green cursor flicking on and off on the screen. Moira was about to end the connection but then another message came in.

 

**Gr** > Someone told me you may have a few extra guests staying with you. Including some old friends.

 

**Md** > Glad to see S understands instructions about not sharing information as well as I expected her to.

 

**Gr** > I hired her, so she might occasionally slip me bits and pieces she would normally keep quiet about. The rest of the group don’t know about them yet.

 

**Gr** > I’ll be visiting in a few days. We need to have a conversation face to face about this and what you’re planning to do with them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's who Emily is.
> 
> Next chapter should be up pretty quickly - this chapter was a bit of a monster until I slimmed it down to focus a bit more.


	4. Angel Ascending

No matter where Genji had found himself on his travels, he had always started every day training. Today was no different, and so after a short rest, Genji prepared himself. He had spent part of the previous evening repairing his damaged leg, fixing the damage that caused it to malfunction. This morning session would be a chance to put it into action.

 

The base was quiet at this time, with only a few Talon personnel walking around. Some of the more junior Talon workers seem a little perturbed to see the notorious Overwatch hero Genji Shimada, complete with a weapon, moving around without a guard. No one said anything though. Genji just smiled beneath his mask - maybe Moira had kept the old rumours alive amongst her staff. He also couldn’t believe he was just wandering around a Talon base.

 

As he approached the training area he had used the night before, he could already hear the sound of combat from inside. A red warning light was lit over the door but an entranceway next to it led up to an observation deck. Interested to see who else would be using the arena at this time, he climbed the stairs and took a seat, placing his sword beside him.

 

He had to admit, the fighter in the arena was skilled. They were agile, moving swiftly between the targets drones, laying in a few strikes to each with a short sword. He guessed their armour was adding to their strength, watching as they kicked off a target to hit another. The jump had sent the initial drone flying, shattering against the wall. They also had some sort of reactive protection - one drone managed to land a hit on them but was rewarded with a faceful of projectiles from a back mounted system. With all but one targets down, the fighter backed off before blasting a knife across the arena at the last survivor. There was a pause as it impacted and then it returned home, reseating itself in a slot on the gauntlet.

 

Once the drones had started being cleaned away, the fighter stopped to take a break. Genji climbed to his feet and started clapping his hands. The figure below seemed startled, apparently unaware of the audience. Genji vaulted the railing and moved to join them on the floor. 

 

As he got closer, he could see more details that had escaped even his keen eyes. The black armoured panels on the fighter were covered in intricate patterns across each plate, knots and circles highlighted in red. Their head was covered in helm like armour, more patterns lining the cheek plates and stretching back over the top. Rather threateningly, the back mounted weapon system had popped up to aim at him as he travelled through the air but it had been dismissed, retracting back into its container. The sword in their hand seemed a combination of old and new, an ancient Celtic style but made from modern materials. As Genji got close, the fighter stood to attention, saluting him with their sword before returning it to its scabbard.

 

Genji bowed and then spoke “As far as I knew, Talon did not employ a fellow swordmaster. That dance was spectacular. Unusual style, reliant on this particular armour but a joy to watch nevertheless.”

 

The voice that responded was modulated, almost robotic “Train for how you fight, I think that’s the saying Mr Shimada. If the suit has a capability, should I not use it?”

 

He laughed. “True, true. It seems you have me at a disadvantage with you knowing my name. How should I refer to you?”

 

The facemask separated, it’s lower section retracting in the gorget of the armoured suit. The upper rolled over the top of their head revealing red hair tucked into her armour. A dash of freckles and deep brown eyes looked out of a pale face, a smile across it.

 

Genji tensed up, finally realising that he did actually know this fighter. Lena had brought her girlfriend to Gibraltar one year and they had ended up talking outside for a long time. Worse, that smile reminded him of a teenager Moira had introduced to the rest of Blackwatch one Christmas, a long time ago.

 

Emily answered “Glad to see you too Genji. Now let's see if your sword skills are as good as the rumours say they are.”

 

\---

 

Moira hadn’t left the infirmary all night. She just sat at Angela’s bedside, working through a stack of reports while keeping a close eye on the indicators on the other side of the room. Eventually, she grew bored of work and moved over to reading journals, losing herself in the latest updates from the scientific world.

 

It was partway through an article on genetic markers for adrenaline response that she heard a voice from over her shoulder.

 

“You’ve been staring at that page for 10 minutes Moira. Have you tried moving onto the next one? It might be a bit more to your liking”

 

Moira almost jumped out of her skin and turned to look at the bed. Bright blue eyes and a weak smile greeted her. Moira reached out a hand and gently stroked the patient’s cheek.

 

“You’re awake. I was sure your little helpers could fix it but still, it’s good to see you speaking.”

 

Angela smiled again “I’m not sure I’ll be climbing mountains for a while though. Could do with a few days off my feet.”

 

Moira reached out and took Angela’s hand. For a moment, the two stared at each other. But then, Angela’s shining face fell slightly.

 

“Don’t try to sugar coat it, Moira. What’s the damage? How many people do we have left?”

\--

 

Lena had still been asleep when she felt Emily get out of bed and leave. Another hour had passed before she’d woken, jumping out of bed feeling refreshed. She decided to unpack, getting her clothes out of the bag and storing them as well as seeing what else Emily had rescued. Her sketchbooks wouldn’t have been the first thing she would have thought to grab but she was glad to have them with her - maybe she’d be able to get some time later to add to them. Having laid all her stuff out, the room felt less like a prison cell. It wouldn’t be home, but it was better than nothing.

 

A sudden knock on her door was revealed to be Emily. It was obvious she’d just showered, her hair still damp and hanging over a set of black camo fatigues. She leaned in to kiss Lena on the lips before telling her the news.

 

“Angela’s awake and asking for you. Been up since 6 AM so Aunty M has told her as much as she knows. Come on, I’ll walk you over.”

 

Excited to see how Mercy was doing, Lena grabbed her old familiar bomber jacket from where it was hanging and rushed to join Emily.

 

\--

 

After trekking through the base’s corridors, Emily and Lena finally reached the infirmary. It seemed quieter than the last time she had been here, with less staff filling the rooms. Moira was leaving Angela’s room as they arrived. She looked tired but was obviously happier than yesterday, some of her usual demeanour returning to her. As they passed her, she nodded to the pair of them before disappearing off into the depths of the base.

 

Entering the room, it felt strange for Tracer to see the roles reversed. Normally it would be Mercy standing by the bedside, with her lying in it after a battle or accident on base. However, unlike Tracer who would have taken this opportunity to get some sleep or relax, Angela was propped up and busy working. Someone had found her a portable terminal and she was already typing away, several holographic projectors around her showing different information streams. Lena couldn’t help but notice one had Pharah’s name at the top, a list of stats underneath.

 

Lena knocked on the open door to announce their presence. “Someone told me the Doctor was in”

 

Angela looked up “Ah, Lena, Emily. Is it visiting hours already?”

 

Pulling a chair closer to the bed, Lena took a seat. Up close Angela was still shining, but it was obvious that she wasn’t 100%. Her face, usually perfect, was flecked with marks and scars, some old ones reopened and while others were from the previous day’s fighting. One of the veins in her neck was off colour, a sickly dark line against her pale skin. The most obvious sign of something wrong was one of her eyes, still bloodshot. Lena couldn’t remember a time that Angela had ever looked like this.

 

She had obviously started staring because Emily suddenly nudged her shoulder. Angela smiled weekly and then spoke.

 

“No, it’s fine. It’s been a while since it looked this bad“

 

Emily let go of Lena and stepped away, heading towards the door “I’ll leave you both to it”

 

Angela nodded her head and returned to her wide smile “Thank you, Emily, I’m looking forward to catching up in the next few days.”

 

As Emily left, she closed the door behind her leaving Angela and Lena to sit quietly for a moment.

 

“Sorry for staring luv, it's just a little strange to see you all banged up. Usually, I’m the one covered in bruises and...”

 

Angela closed her terminal down as she interrupted her “Lena please if anyone is allowed to stare it’s you”

 

She leaned back, resting her head on the pillow. “I think it’s safe to call you my guardian angel after the stunt you pulled. Out of everyone you could think of running to, you managed to choose the one person who actually had the facilities to repair and rebuild my bots”

 

“I just chose the one who I thought was as big as a geek as you are.” Lena paused “I wouldn’t have guessed she was your wife.”

 

Angela’s eye widened for a moment but then she started laughing. Even in her injured state it still sounded like music.

 

“I bet that was a shock. And we’d done so well to keep it hidden all these years. Did you see the photo or was it the ring?” She looked down at her hand, the band on her finger, exactly where she had always wanted it to be.

 

Lena shifted in her seat “But Moira though? All I remember of you two at Overwatch was the screaming matches and passive aggressive emails. How did that happen?”

 

Angela looked up at the roof, thinking back “Oh we hated each other for a while. Morally we were complete opposites, her rushing ahead towards her aims, me more careful to obey my oaths. But when we were forced to work together, like on Genji or the medipacks, it was like a... symphony. The two of us passing ideas back and forth, working late into the night before toasting our success”

 

“And then one day I get a frantic call from Edinburgh in the middle of the night. It was Moira; there had been an accident with Emily, something about a car crash and delayed evacuation. She sounded broken when she asked for my help - said she wouldn’t trust any other surgeon or anywhere other than Overwatch’s medical unit. I pleaded the case to Morrison and Ana and we were able to transfer her to our care. She was a mess, the worst case I’d seen on a non-combatant”

 

“It took time but we were able to repair much of the damage. Unlike with Genji, there wasn’t a military requirement, so we were able to use mostly biological parts with only a few tweaks to speed up the healing”

 

“All the way through the process, Moira was a different person. She cared more, made less snarling jokes and sarcastic comments. Every step of the way she was focused on taking care of Emily, only wanting the best for her. And then when we were almost done, she kissed me. It was like lighting. It had never felt like that before, never with anyone. And then it just escalated from there. We had to keep it secret, especially when Moira went over to Blackwatch. And then she left Overwatch entirely and was about to disappear, off to join Oasis and then Talon. We wanted to be together so we sorted something out. A lovely ceremony by the lake close to my old family home, up in the mountains. And then we split, only meeting each other for a few weeks every year. But no matter where we were, we found ways to keep working together. Although it did make combat missions more interesting, almost a performance when we were fighting.”

 

Lena nodded along with Angela’s story but then stopped “Wait, are you saying Emily is enhanced?”

 

Angela smiled again but this time there was a sense of pride in it “The fact that you didn’t realise tells us we did our job. It’s not as extreme as some but she’s certainly something when the action kicks off.”

 

Shrugging, Lena replied “Seems like Emily is full of surprises if the last few days are anything to go by”

 

Angela rested her hand on Lena’s shoulder “Don’t worry about that too much. Emily is head over heels about you. Every time I talked to her since you started dating she’s always been asking about you, trying to work out the best way to tell you what she does.”

 

Lena smiled and nodded.

 

Angela’s face turned serious “I know that Moira showed you one of the enhancement plans. It’s early, rough ideas more than practical solutions but Moira and I are going to work on it. We’ll need to talk about it more once Fareeha is awake but we’re going to need every edge we can get. But I don’t want to force you into it - you need to want to go through the changes. Otherwise, it’s going to be a deeply unpleasant process.” She paused “We’re gonna get them, Lena. We’re going to get everyone responsible for this and make them pay for it.”

 

Lena felt like she had known Angela for a long time, even before she’d joined Overwatch officially as a cadet after meeting her before the Slipstream incident. It was wrong to say she’d never been scared of her, the drive the doctor had at her work could be terrifying. But as she looked at her now, she felt petrified under her gaze. The glow that seemed to surround her had vanished and there was steel in those eyes that more often were filled with joy.

 

A knock on the door interrupted them and a pair of figures in scrubs entered the room. One of the Talon nurses entered and started shepherding Lena out while the other moved over to check the equipment.

 

Angela smiled, the light returned.

 

“Give me a day or two then I’ll be up. I’m glad you got out Lena. There aren’t many other people who would be able to handle all this”

 

Lena wanted to say more but before she could, the nurse had taken her out of the room and locked the door behind her.

 

\--

 

It had taken a while, but Sombra had finally disassembled the last few pieces of the Raptora suit, now it was removed from Pharah’s body. The medics had rushed in to start treatment once she broke the main lock, while the rest of pieces had been brought to a workshop that Moira had provided for her use. Aside from the armour spread all over the floor, the rest of the room was covered in computers and beanbags, space for Sombra to relax while puzzling over this problem. 

 

The front chest plate was ruined, Sombra able to fit her head through the hole. Luckily most of the important stuff was on the rear of the armour close to the thrusters. The onboard weapon systems had been disabled as part of the lojack but she was still glad when Talon explosive technicians had come to take the ammunition away - even Sombra knew not to hack around live ammunition. She had read up on the suits before, pulling various technical specs and source code from deep within Helix’s systems, but actually getting hands-on with one was something else. As much as she wanted to strip it entirely, Moira had requested her to keep it useable for the engineering team to work from.

 

Overwatch had left their mark on this armour. There seemed to be a ring of additional processing units around the helm that didn’t appear on the original specs. Looking closer, they were all marked up with a stylised triangular A. Stranger still, they were completely shielded from the rest of the system, with no links connecting them to any other element of the suit.

 

Concerned, Sombra had tried to scan them when she’d spotted the arrangement to make sure there wasn’t an additional tracker embedded in it. The scan showed nothing but plugging into one of the boxes had revealed… something. She wasn’t sure yet. But her intrusion attempt had been found, stopped and sent back by something inside the chip. It then proceeded to explore the sandbox she was working from, almost like it was looking for a way out. Sombra clicked her fingers and brought up her display. Maybe she should join the units together and see what happens...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out, splitting a monster chapter just shifted which chapter was the monster!
> 
> This chapter has a bit of everything, hope you enjoy!
> 
> We've seen more of Emily's suits, I'll have to write up something detailing each of them.


	5. Honoured Guests

It had been a few days since Angela had woken up.

 

Outside, the world continued. Lena had read some of the news articles. They reported that Helix had shut down a terrorist cell in Gibraltar, that the Russian nation was proud to welcome the hero Aleksandra Zaryanova back to the front and that Hana Song and the MEKA squad were preparing for the return of the Colossal Omnic. There was no mention of the dead or the taken, no final obituary for Jack or Ana or Zenyatta. Lena had always tried to be upbeat, look for the positives but this made her sick - they had gotten away with it and the whole world was applauding them.

 

A sort of routine had been formed among the former Overwatch members at Watchpoint Arraglen. Genji spent most of his time either training or mediating. Sometimes he sparred with Emily or Lena, giving both parties a much harder workout than they normally expected. He also had requested the use of a workshop and spent some of his time repairing his armour and weapons to bring it back up to 100%.

 

Lena and Emily had also begun training together, in part to learn about the other side of each other that had been revealed. It was especially hard for Tracer, who had to learn the three different styles of fighting her girlfriend utilised, depending on which configuration of the Morrigan she was wearing. The nimble and stealthy Badb, the berserker fury of Nemain, the sturdy and defensive Macha - each provided a different set of skills to intermesh with Tracer’s own moveset. When they had some free time, the two of them would get up onto the ruins above the watchpoint, letting Lena sketch the seabirds and the crags around them while Emily enjoyed the company.

 

Angela was up and walking around, her nanobots slowly replenishing from a newly created batch. However, she seemed a different figure from before the attack, slightly less upright as she walked, resting heavily on her staff. In public, Lena could see Moira acting with her usual attitude, still slightly standoffish, but behind closed doors, she was much more careful. Angela’s ill health didn’t stop the two of them working into the night, often falling asleep in Moira’s office carefully wrapped around each other.

 

Pharah was still unconscious but was at least stable. Angela’s care plan had managed to repair some of the damage and kept Miss Amari alive but the prognosis was bleak.

 

Lena sighed. There was a wrench in the whole arrangement - McCree. Jesse had continued to refuse to work with Moira and so he had been left in the brig. Angela, Lena and Genji had all attempted to reason with him but he was adamant. He would not work with her. Lena was unsure what this would mean in the long term. Would he just be left in his cell, bouncing a ball off the wall while he waited for someone to come get him?

 

A sudden sense of urgency was added to proceedings when Moira informed them all that they would be having visitors.

 

\---

 

The wind whipped through the landing bay, blowing spray up into the air before raining down on the pad like drizzle. They were all there. Angela leant on her staff. The Valkyrie was still being repaired so she was wearing a body glove under her scrubs, a large black trenchcoat protecting her against the weather. Genji stood next to her, still as a statue. Strangely Sombra had joined them. She seemed excited, almost hopping from one foot to the other as they waited for their guests

 

Standing front and centre was Moira. She had donned her usual clothing, black and purple robes, the metal plate over her face. Now she stood, both hands clasped behind her back. Behind her left shoulder was Emily, clad in her armour with the helmet locked tight. Lena realised she was seeing something she had never seen before - Emily actually doing her job. It was exciting to see her in this way, very different from the woman she had come home to after every job.

 

The ship came into land, a sleek black dropship that in daylight stood out against the grey of the Irish sky. It was obviously designed for stealth, all straight edges and slab-sided panels so it looked like a malformed insect. Slowly, it lowered itself to the ground rotating in place to face the exit ramp directly at Moira.

 

Slowly the exit was lowered and a figure strode out. The darkness seemed to curl around him, smoke billowing out of his robe as he walked. The pale mask over his face was familiar to everyone - Reaper himself.

 

Behind him stalked Widowmaker, pulling a long pelican case off the ship by the handle. Her head was on a swivel, watching all the angles like a predator moving through the bush. Those golden eyes eventually came to rest on Lena and for the faintest moment, the Brit thought she saw a smile on the usually impassive face.

 

Moira spoke first “Reaper. Welcome to Watchpoint Arraglen”

 

The voice that came from under the mask was a growl.“It’s been a long time since I was last here. Probably when we were building the damn place”

 

Laughing politely, Moira responded, “You’ll find things have changed a bit since then - we changed the decoration for a start.”

 

He nodded and then came to look at the group behind her “Enough time for idle chit-chat Moira. Let’s take a look at what you dragged out of the sea”

 

Reaper and Moira walked together back to the main group, with Emily and Widowmaker falling into step behind them. Despite what Emily had said to her about working with the French woman, it obvious there was a power play going on here, each bodyguard trying to physic the other out.

 

The group stopped in front of Angela first “Dr Zeigler. I see you’re better than originally reported.”

 

Angela nodded in response before Reaper’s gaze moved on

 

“Mr Shimada, it’s been a long time”

 

Genji saluted, his fist placed on his chest

 

“And Miss Oxton, the hero of the hour”. Lena couldn’t tell but there seemed to be a tone to his voice different to the other times he’d heard Reaper speak. He sounded more amused than normal.

 

Reaper turned to face Moira “This is everyone?”

 

Moira scowled “Our cowboy is in the brig and refuses to cooperate. Mentioned something about “never trusting a witch” last time I tried to persuade him.”

 

“Sounds like Jesse. Stubborn as a mule. I’ll deal with him later”

 

Moira paused. She seemed a little uneasy before speaking again “There is one more. She’s down in the infirmary”

 

\---

The room had been cleared of staff, the nurses leaving after their checks. Even Moira hung back, letting Reaper enter before closing the door behind him.

 

He stood at one end of the bed, looking down at Pharah’s broken form. She was laid down in the bed, a mess of wires and tubes running everywhere to a whole host of machines. Ignoring them for a moment, he focused on her face. It was still framed by that jet black hair, the Wadjet on her eye still immaculate. If it wasn’t for the background beep and the chart in front of him, he would have thought she was just sleeping peacefully

 

Reaper leaned forward heavily, his clawed gauntlets digging into the frame slightly.

 

“Oh, little Fareeha. What have they done to you”

\---

 

When the two Inner Circle members returned to the main meeting room, the rest of the group were waiting for them around the central table. Many of them having ditched their armour and settled into more practical clothes for being around the base. With a few button presses, the windows were covered in blinds leaving it in almost darkness except for a few small lights.

 

Once the room was obscured from outside view, and Sombra had placed one of her counter-surveillance devices on the table, Reaper pulled back his hood. Placing his mask on the table, he seemed to close his eyes, as if concentrating. Slowly, the smoke that surrounded his head was absorbed revealing the broad face of Gabriel Reyes. He looked haggard, with patches of his skin shifting between smoke and flesh every so often but it was unmistakable. The Blackwatch Commander was still alive.

 

“Now I think it’s time to have a proper conversation. But first.”

 

He looked at Widowmaker “Guillard.”

 

The sniper suddenly stiffened, her back going almost entirely straight. Her eyes shot open staring wildly off into the distance. As they watched, the amber colour in her irises seemed to shift, slowly returning to a more natural brown. She blinked and then, like a marionette having its strings cut, her entire posture changed. She relaxed back into her chair, breathing out as she felt the sensation of the fabric beneath her before removing her visor.

 

The voice that came out of Widowmaker’s mouth was different. Somehow lighter, the French accent still there but much softer. “Ah, that’s better. I don’t think Widow was looking forward to another one of your speeches, Mr Reyes.”

 

Lena recognised that voice, from before Gerard’s death. She could feel her mouth hanging open and she wasn’t the only one shaken by this change of character. Emily had cocked her head to one side, looking slightly confused. Even Genji raised an eyebrow at this sudden personality shift.

 

Widowmaker looked around an amused smile on her face. “Oh you must forgive us, we do like to keep our little secret under wraps. Better the rest of Talon think the process had a few hiccups than realise they left the old Amelie hidden away.” Guillard turned to look at Sombra, her expression changing to one of mock “What’s this? No welcome home?”

 

There was a blink and Sombra was now laying in Guillard’s lap. She pulled herself upwards, latching on to the French woman’s lips before falling back to rest against her legs. Guillard smiled, running her hands through Sombra’s hair while looking down at her.

 

“Oh, so you did miss me then?”

 

Moira coughed. “As touching as this reunion is, we have things to discuss”

 

Gabe sat down in his chair and began to brief, in a tone that Lena almost recognised the one hounding in her ear on her first mission back when she was a Cadet. “Overwatch’s fall has been seen universally within Talon as a good thing, a chance to expand operations with less interference. At the same time, most of the Inner Circle seems to have ignored the threat from Helix and Vishkar. Based on what we have discovered, it’s safe to say Korpal was running the operation and this win has only given him a bigger stick to use. Maximillian has seen the balance of power shifting though - he is starting to worry about Korpal attempting a coup by sicking his new best buddies on anyone else.”

 

“I’m not sure we would want to go into full alliance with him, but knowing there is some doubt is something we can use” interjected Moira

 

Sombra looked up, taking a break from Widowmaker's attention “Akande is busy sorting out business with Horizon. However, he sees Helix’s involvement as a good thing, an easier way for him to get that humanity strengthening conflict he’s keeps banging on about.”

 

Lena was about to speak, planning to raise a point about not caring about Talon’s infighting but Gabriel interrupted her.

 

“But I would guess most of your number 1 priorities are freeing everyone else from Overwatch - that I understand. We’ve tracked them to a couple of different Helix prisons in sub-Saharan Africa but we’re going to need to more intelligence before we can formulate a plan to get them out.”

 

Sombra once again chimed in “Talking to the rocket lady would be handy - it’s likely she may know more about some of the peculiarities of their system them she thinks”.

 

Gabriel took back over “To not mince words, we’re going to help you. But we’re not doing this for free. With Overwatch gone, you’re going to need support. Come work for Talon. Moira and I always need new allies, something to keep our side of the council with a deck of aces up its sleeve.”

 

“But we do have certain requirements - one of which is that you need to play the part. You need to act as if you have truly joined us, giving the rest of the Inner Circle a reason to trust you. If you can’t do that, then we will never be able to help you. There are also some tweaks to you that we want to do, in order to maintain our edge in this arms race but also disguise your origins from the wider world. And who knows, you might end up enjoying it - there’s a certain allure to having the training wheels taken off.”

 

With the rest of the room quiet in thought, Reyes lifted the pelican case onto the table and slid it across to Genji. “I think you know what’s inside that box. Something you left behind in one of Blackwatch’s offsite armouries. I thought it might come in handy now. An alternative identity already created and put in storage.”

 

Standing up to the table, Genji ran his hands along the edges before flicking the catches. The foam inside was a deep black leading to great contrast at what lay within. It was a pale white mask with large eyes and shining teeth. Red horns jutted out from its brow, with small nubs protruding from its side. Beneath it lay a pile of dark grey robes and fabrics

 

Genji pulled out the mask and rotated it in his hand, letting it catch the light. He frowned. “Commander, you know exactly what this outfit was designed for. I’m not sure I want to become that. Not again”

 

He took a deep breath. “But thank you for returning it to me. I accept the gift”

 

Reyes nodded, a grim smile on his face “Good. Now all of you clear the room, I need to talk to Moira and Angela alone”

 

\---

 

With the room quieter, the trio gathered around one edge of the table. From inside a folder, Moira spread out a trio of documents. After a second, the holographic visualizations appeared, slowly spinning in front of Reyes.

 

Moira leaned in “You’ve seen our proposals - do you think they’ll all agree to them?”

 

Gabe laughed his usual harsh bark. “Genji basically has by taking the mask - you saw how reacted, he knows what it represents. If Pharah is anything like her mother you’ll have to tie her down to stop her trying to get her vengeance. Especially seeing as it’s Helix. She’ll take whatever edge she needs, even if it means working with Talon. Lena seems open to the concept - I guess Emily has been talking to her. She may be concerned a little about what you’re thinking of doing though, especially the risks it potentially poses to her. I just hope the data you’re working from is correct and that leeway exists in her accelerator.”

 

Moira crossed her arms “For all my problems with the ape, I will admit that Winston’s work can be extraordinary. We’ll need to move cautiously but the potential results are astounding.”

 

Throughout this exchange, Angela had remained quiet, listening to the other two talk through the plans. She was still trying to puzzle something out. Eventually, she had to voice the thoughts running through her head.

 

“Why am I here Gabe? Shouldn’t I be with the group you’re still trying to persuade to come work for Talon?” She seemed to spit across the table.

 

Reyes, midway through reading a note simply looked over the top of the paper at her “Come on Angela, we both know you were always two bad Overwatch’s Command decisions away from packing a bag and joining Talon. A chance to get even with Helix and, “ he looked at her ring “less time spent away from your wife are more than enough of an incentive. Congratulations, by the way, I presume Moira looked wonderful in her dress.”

 

This brought a scowl to Moira’s face “Typical, I invite you here to my private base and this how you thank me. It’s like handling children.”

 

Alarmingly, Reyes seemed to actually smile “I’m just teasing you because you didn’t think to invite me to the reception.”

 

Gabriel continued to look at the plans. He muttered to himself and started to tweak one with his finger, carefully redrawing the outer layer of the armour and adjusting its shape.

 

“You’re both incredible scientists but lousy armourers. If she worn that armour plate she’d be bouncing anything that hit her in the chest directly at her head - I know she’s fast but not that fast. And it’s all very functional - lacking in some of the personality you want to give more enhanced agents, otherwise, they lose the dramatic edge. Give me some time with these ideas, I’ll make them truly look the part”

 

He paused when he looked at the next design.

 

“It's that bad huh?”

 

Angela responded “If she wants to retire, then no. But if she wants to be able to get in the fight, then yes. It’s that bad”

 

Reyes paused. “If you’re planning that much mechanical replacement, Genji should stay here then. She’ll need someone who's been through something similar to help her, otherwise, it will counterproductive.”

 

Moira placed a hand on Reyes’s shoulder. “And then there is the matter of the Lone Ranger we have in the basement”

 

\---

 

*ba-dunk*

 

*ba-dunk*

 

*ba-dunk*

 

Jesse had to admit, doing his best cooler king impressions had been fun for the first day but now it was starting to bore him. He’d spent most of his time asleep, enjoying the quiet. The interruptions from his friends trying to persuade him to leave had been fun interactions, but he had no interest in playing along with Dr O’Deorain’s projects. That woman had been bad news at Blackwatch, bad news in Venice and would do nothing more than drag everyone else down with her.

 

He heard the sound of the door opening and stopped bouncing the ball.

 

“I’ve told you once, I’ve told you one hundred times. I am NOT working for that woman and never will.” Jesse drawled without looking towards the entrance

 

A voice seemed to growl out of the darkness at him.

 

“I think the good Doctor has given up on you Jesse. She’s asked a friend to come to offer you instead”

 

Jesse now looked over at the other figure in the room. He would have recognised that facemask anywhere

 

“Wow, The Reaper himself. We gonna work our way through Talon, see who finally decide I want to work with? Why don’t I set you some challenges and we can vote people off every week” He laughed at his own joke before staring back at Reaper.

 

“No Jesse, you’re going to come to work for me. Because when I rescued you from the Deadlock gang, you promised me 30 years of service in gratitude. Pretty sure that clock hasn’t run out.”

 

The cowboy barked “Ha, still at thinking you’re the Commander. Not sure what happened to you buddy but Reyes is dead and buried. I helped lower the box with what was left of him into the ground stateside. Got a nice plot looking out over the ocean”

 

The cloaked figure reached up and pulled his mask off. When he rolled down the hood, the smoke that played around his face had dissipated.

 

Reyes smiled “I hear it was a lovely service, Jesse. But I would have thought you would have given me more credit - after all, I’d lived through worse than a building being dropped on me. Now, let’s work out how many more years you owe me”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go, enough plot threads kicked off to be ready for the mid-season break.
> 
> Big thanks to ccauchemar and their fic "Currying Favours" for inspiring me on how to write Widowmaker for this story - love their concept!
> 
> \--
> 
> First up, thanks to all of you for all the comments and kudos. I'm so glad people are enjoying this - I'm usually used to written sub-2k stories and blog posts so this is something new for me.
> 
> I'm going to pause updating for a week or two so I can nail down the rest of the story. I'm really enjoying writing this but I want to make sure the arc of the back half is just right so people enjoy it rather than it feeling like a slog with no payoff. I may also go back and fix a few things in the released chapters, mainly finding the issues that slipped through my 1AM proofreading.
> 
> So don't forget to subscribe here to be ready for when I come back, and also on my profile - I might have a few one-shots in the fire that I've been wanting to get round to for a while.


	6. Reset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sudden shift

Lena woke with a gasp, her eyes shooting open. She could feel herself shaking, her hands fighting against the plastic restraints as the unwelcome feeling of a chronal reassociation swept through her. Every bone, every joint, every fibre of her being felt like it was rapidly vibrating, trying frantically to align itself where the laws of time and space said it should be. Trying to ignore the pain, she started taking in the details of the room, the off-white walls very different from the dark quarters she had fallen asleep in. She tried to turn her head, to see if Emily was still beside her, but soft pads held her view straightforward.

 

As she focused, blinking against the light above her, a familiar figure filled her view. Angela, her red and white wings aglow, hovered above her. Concern filled her face as she looked down, her eyes staring directly into Lena’s, the deep blue seeming almost calming. Lena could feel one of her hands gently wrap itself around her shaking wrist as she looked away, shouting at someone just out of her line of sight.

 

“Moira, Lena is back! Re-enable the field before we lose her again!” She turned back to look down at her

 

“Lena, your Chronal Anchor suffered a failure during the test and you disassociated for 30 minutes. We’ve got you, you’re going to be fine, you just need to hold on a little longer”

 

Angrily she looked back up

 

“Moira. The field. Now”

 

Lena felt the familiar pressure in her head starting to grow and she clenched her eyes tightly shut. With a welcome snap, the pain stopped. She felt herself grow still finally, exhausted limbs flopping back onto the soft material beneath her, her breathing starting to slow.

 

Someone moved past her, removing her head restraint on the way, and Moira appeared, her long fingers heading directly to the chronal anchor on her chest. With a violent push, she clicked it back into place, the central light suddenly igniting and casting its blue glow around it. Angrily, Moira looked across her prone form, straight at Dr Ziegler.

 

“This is what is preventing our progress, Angela. We need to replace this broken toy soon or else we might as well throw Miss Oxton here in a cell for all the help she can provide us”

 

Angela had crossed her arms “Moira you know that is unfair. We can’t progress until we make sure it safe…”

 

Moira interrupted “And if we don’t progress, it will become very unsafe for all of us.”

 

She sighed “Give her the usual test, we need to see how disparate her other reality was before her brain realises where it actually is and refreshes itself”

 

Angela pulled out a tablet computer from her pocket, flicking through several lists until she found the one she was looking for. Lena noticed she seemed stiffer than she had only the previous day, her posture different from the almost recovered doctor. She also noticed that Angela seemed to be using her wings constantly, their glow illuminating the room partially, her feet never touching the ground. And then it clicked. Her wings. They were the wrong colour. Or were they? Lena closed her eyes against the confusion that these events always caused.

 

Angela looked back up at Lena, a tired smile on her face. “Okay. As we said earlier, you suffered a chronal disassociation during the last test and were absent from the room for 30 minutes. This may have seemed like several weeks or only a few seconds to you. After any chronal event, we need to ask you some questions. Are you okay with that?”

 

Lena nodded

 

“What is your name?”

 

“Lena Oxton”

 

“Where were you born?”

 

“London, England”

 

“What is your current partner’s name?”

 

“Emily Morgan”

 

“Who is your current partner’s employer’s?”

 

“Talon. She’s an agent for them, does whatever her aunt commands her to”

 

“What are the names of the people you are sharing this room with?”

 

“Angela Ziegler and Moira O’Deorain”

 

Moira grumbled “DOCTOR Moira O’Deorain”

 

Ignoring her, Angela pushed on.“What is the relationship between Doctor O’Deorain and myself?”

 

Lena thought for a moment, a smile appearing on her face. “You’re married. You did it in secret, by the lake shore at Geneva. Emily was there as well”

 

Angela grinned at her response before asking the next question. “Where are you now?”

 

Lena paused “I want to say Watchpoint Arraglen but it doesn’t feel right. I don’t recognise this room.”

 

Angela turned to Moira “We never had a Watchpoint Arraglen did we?”

 

Moira shook her head, suddenly listening intently “No but I remember it being shortlisted as a possible site when they built this place. The inspection report said it would have been an ideal training base but the cave system was too unstable to use. Interesting.”

 

Angela’s eyes returned “What is the status of Amelie LaCroix?”

 

Lena closed her eyes, the memories starting to go foggy. “She was brainwashed into being Widowmaker. But it wasn’t successful somehow - so now there are two of her, Amelie and Widow, in the same body”

 

Moira tilted her head, resting a hand on her chin “Hmm. That’s the third time that situation has occurred. Perhaps it is worth investigating Widowmaker’s programming a little bit closer - it’s possible that she is just hiding it from us”

 

Angela paused at the last question.

 

“Lena, what happened to the recalled Overwatch?” She watched Lena’s face for a moment. “Take your time if you need to”

 

Lena paused again in thought. She could feel this latest batch of memories starting to fall away, reality returning with a crash. But this memory. This memory was the last to reset and she caught it before the actual events replaced it "It fell. Helix attacked us at Gibraltar. We barely escaped, you were injured and Fareeha was hurt and..." She stopped, suddenly think of those who had died, a sob suddenly breaking through.    
  
Moira smiled darkly at her.   
  
"Alas Miss Oxton, that is a fact that remains constant across all your dissociations."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope everyone had a nice long two-week break... wait how is it December.
> 
> Sorry to bring this to a sudden close but I've been thinking a lot about the one open story that's been hanging around my head. There is SO much in this story I like - Talon Emily, the core concept of redesigning OW characters to be part of Talon, some of the plot threads I started. I had stuff planned for the rest of the arc. The problem is, there is also so much I no longer like about this story - it's pushing too fast, too many ideas just thrown together without looking into the deeper side of what it actually means to hop the fence and go work for the bad guys. It was a bit too much "OH OKAY EVERYONE IS STILL GOOD WE JUST HAVE BETTER UNIFORMS". This was my first attempt at a long form and boy does it show.
> 
> And also, I've started chatting with an ideas buddy and I've come up with a much better story to tell some of the same themes and ideas in an improved way. So rather than trying to resuscitate this, I'm going to take a big chunk of the ideas from here and rebuild them into something better.
> 
> I hope you'll join me when it comes back - it's going to be exciting

**Author's Note:**

> If you like this work, I love hearing your comments - I'll always try and respond! Alternatively, drop me an email at odeorainfan2150@gmail.com
> 
> Follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/deorainfan2150 for news on what I'm working on next.
> 
> If you want to throw me a tip, you can find my Ko-Fi at https://ko-fi.com/odeorainfan2150.


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